Disclaimer:I don't own True Blood or anything associated with it.

A/N: So, since today's my birthday I thought I'd get this chapter up as a little pressie for everyone. Enjoy!

xXx

4

The journey was not entirely pleasant, seeing as she spent it in the back of a windowless van with her wrists zip-tied behind her back, but while she had started the whole kidnapping-debacle petrified and shaken to her core, the longer she was sat stewing in the back of the car, the more pure fury took over of her emotional spectrum.

Godric. Godric had orchestrated this, had actually had her kidnapped from her apartment instead of picking up the goddamn phone and having an adult conversation. Who did he think he think he was, some mafia boss from the prohibition era?!

She regretted the heartbreak she'd allowed herself to go through just an hour ago at the thought of never seeing him again – clearly, he was not worth it!

That line of thoughts brought with it, along with an uncomfortable clenching in her chest, the very valid concern that if he'd had her kidnapped … what else was he capable of?

Throughout their month-long relationship he had been courteous and kind – save for in the bedroom – and even after the near-disastrous first time together she had felt at ease in his company, safe. But now… now he had apparently given up on that façade, resolving instead to the true nature of vampires. She'd never truly believed the anti-vampire propaganda, deeming it as yet another example of the uneducated masses fearing what they could not manage to understand, but it would seem that she'd been the one in the dark all along.

Surprisingly, the thought that he'd had her fooled to such an extent made her fear lessen again in favour of a burning rage. Vera clung on to that as if it was a lifeline; she'd much rather be angry than scared. At least anger gave a sense of power, and that was one thing she was sorely lacking when it came to Godric.

The car came to an abrupt halt, making the woman slide from the middle of the floor where she'd been sitting and into the side of the van, banging her shoulder hard. A string of profanity quickly quieted as the side-door was opened and one of the men in khaki pants peered in; she had their threats of what would happen if she didn't behave in fresh recollection.

"Come on out, princess," the guy with the Texan twang said, jumping in and pulling a knife from his pocket.

Vera flinched, but he simply cut the zip-tie and grabbed her arm, pulling her to her feet and out the door.

"The boss wants to see you, so we best not keep him waiting."

As the very last light from the setting sun painted with beautiful pastels across the deep indigo sky she was escorted up the driveway to Godric's mansion.

"So you two brutes have no qualms bringing a defenceless woman to a vampire nest?" she couldn't help but hiss as the one not currently grabbing her arm rang the doorbell, once again acting as a delivery man. Only this time, she was the goods being delivered rather than the gorgeous bouquet that now littered her hallway.

Texas-guy snorted. "This particular vamp says 'jump', anyone with a lick of sense asks 'how high' and get on with it. Besides, aren't you the little fangbanger he's been snacking on lately? Should have just come on your own, silly cow."

Vera's grey eyes narrowed at the crass terminology, but before she managed to retort, the grand front door opened, revealing a slightly puzzled Isabel.

Her lover's beautiful nestmate arched an elegant eyebrow as her dark eyes took in the female's distressed expression, the men accompanying her and the hand that grasped her upper arm firmly.

"Vera?" she questioned.

"Mr Godric's waiting for her," one of her kidnappers informed the Hispanic vampire.

The other eyebrow joined its twin as she stepped aside, allowing them in. "The Sheriff is in his office, Patchwell."

So Isabel knew these guys? Vera sent her a pleading look; she'd always been fond of Godric's second in command, and had had a feeling that it had been mutual. "Please, Isabel, they kidnapped me!"

A moment's worth of surprise showed on the other woman's face before the blank 'vampire mask' slipped into place. Without comment she turned away, letting the men lead their target to her master, and Vera's shoulders sagged in defeat. Isabel might like her alright, but first and foremost she was Godric's second in command, and loyal to the - final - death.

Vera hadn't been in the office apart from when Godric had given her a tour of the house (she rarely ventured anywhere but his bedroom and the kitchen) but she didn't recall the walk from the foyer to his 'Sheriff's room' to be quite so long and intimidating, and she briefly wondered if his underlings ever felt like this when striding across the same stretch of marble.

But finally, the two goons stopped in front of a closed door, knocking respectfully.

"Enter." The cool, detached voice drifting through the wooden door was so unlike the soft, passionate velvet she was used to hearing from her lover, and she suppressed a shudder… which became harder to do as they entered the room and she caught a look of his blank face; the vampire was all business, and she might as well have been an inanimate package being delivered for all the attention he gave her.

"Sir, we have brought the girl as you requested," Texas guy said, releasing his grip on her arm when Godric's impassive gaze slid to his hand.

"So you have." The vampire finally looked at her, but his blue eyes slid over her body and face rather than connecting with her angry-yet-terrified gaze. "However, I asked that you bring her to me unharmed, yet there are marks around her wrists?" His voice was dangerously low, and Vera could sense both men shrinking back beside her.

"Er, we had to tie her up... she was struggling. It is nothing serious, sir!" Her kidnappers were on the brink of panicking, which she honestly couldn't blame them for.

"You leave marks on my human's skin and claim it is not serious?" A dark eyebrow rose as he took a few steps towards the three mortals, which brought him close enough so that he could let a cool hand slide over her wrists where the zip-tie had dug in, in a soothing gesture, but his gaze was locked on the other males.

However furious Vera had been with the two brutes for their treatment of her, the fact that Godric was acting like they were to blame for her discomfort when he was the one who'd set this whole, absurd kidnapping scheme in motion tipped her emotions towards anger from fear once again, and she placed a firm hand on his forearm to halt his threatening advancement on the men.

"What did you expect them to do?" Her voice was shrill, but she managed not to shout. Just. "You had them take me from my house with force – it was never going to happen without a struggle, was it?! And now you plan to punish them for your decision to violate my freedom? That's just rich, Godric!"

His gaze turned to hers, and she automatically swallowed at the dark gleam, her emotional barometer dipping back into fear as she hastily let go of his arm.

"Leave us." His voice cracked like a whip, and scurrying steps and the click of the door indicated that the two deliverymen obeyed without delay, leaving her alone with the vampire. The clearly very angry vampire.

His piercing eyes narrowed slightly at her. "Do not ever question me in front of others again."

Vera's lips quivered as she bit back a sharp reply; in her opinion he deserved to be called every name in the book for this, but as he stood before her all traces of the young man she'd mistaken him for when they first met were gone – he was every inch the powerful immortal, authoritative and… lethal.

Pale hands slid back over her wrists, examining the slight damage to her skin. "I felt your fear."

What was she meant to say to that? She'd been terrified. Still was.

"And your anger."

… And furious. And hurt, and a whole host of other emotions she hadn't had the time to sort through yet. She pinched her lips firmly to refrain from saying anything that would endanger her life any further, purposely avoiding his gaze.

"I promised to never harm you, Vera. I stand by that, and I always will." He grabbed her chin and tilted her head up, and she felt a sick wave of dread when their eyes locked for the briefest moment before she squeezed hers shut so he couldn't glamour her.

He released her face as if he'd been burned.

"Never!" It was an outraged hiss. "I would never alter your mind like that! How can you even think…"

Her grey eyes flew open in honest disbelief. "Are you joking?! You've Glamoured me twice already, and you would have done it a third time too, if I'd looked at you before closing the door last night!" It probably wasn't the smartest move to antagonise an already moody vampire, but either he'd undergone the vamp-version of a lobotomy or he was hoping she had.

Godric blinked at her accusation, momentarily taken aback. Then his face smoothed over once again as he composed himself. "I had hoped your evolved nature would allow you to see the difference between merely not putting up with your childish antics, and altering your memories. Clearly, I should have expected differently based on how you behaved last night."

"How I behaved?!" Her outraged shriek was silenced when his hand wrapped around her upper arm. Fear once again shot through her system, quieting her displeasure of his description of the night's events.

His eyes darkened and narrowed. "If I wished to harm you, I would have done so by now, woman. Your continued fear for your personal safety in my hands is insulting not only to me, but to every moment we have spent together; you should know better by now."

It was her turn to blink. "Godric, you had me kidnapped!" She gestured to where he held her arm with her free hand. "Why on Earth should I think that you wouldn't go even further?!"

"I gave you my blood! My blood, Vera!" Despite his rising temper and suddenly scarily distorted features the grip he had on her never tightened. "You are my Bonded, the one I have chosen – the only one I have chosen for a thousand years! That I have had enough of your insolent behaviour does not equate a change in my devotion to you or your wellbeing."

"Then let me go!" She shouted it in his face, willing him to either prove his words to her, or… the opposite.

"Never." His face once again smoothed over, leaving blank marble and dark, molten eyes. "You belong to me."

In for a penny, in for a pound. Vera swung her free hand, striking him across the face. "I am not your fucking commodity!"

The smack was followed by a soft click as his fangs popped out, but that was the sole reaction from his statue-like body.

The only sound in the office for the next twenty or so seconds was Vera's ragged breathing.

"Now that you have raised your hand to me and I have not retaliated," he finally said, voice filled with iron control wrapped in cool silk. "I hope your distrust in my promise and our sacred bond has withered."

She didn't reply, a little rattled by her own audacity and the sight of his menacing fangs; they usually only came out in her vicinity when her lover was overcome with desire, and seeing them like this, like the deadly weapons they truly were, was chilling.

Godric sent her a final, dark look, forced his fangs back and started walking, hand still wrapped around her upper arm. It was pretty clear that she could either follow or get dragged along like an insolent toddler, so Vera gathered her crumbling bravery as a cape around her and moved along with him. The soft patter of her naked feet – the goons hadn't exactly waited for her to put on shoes– resonated through the hallways as she was led towards the familiar door hiding the vampire's bedroom.

Her typed in the code, scanned his fingerprint and finally opened the door, releasing her when they'd entered.

The door closed and locked with a 'click' just as the blonde woman spotted the leather cuffs fastened to the large bed's four posters with thick chains. Her eyes bulged.

"Now, wait just a minute..!"

Godric looked at her calmly, his strong body still yet thoroughly intimidating as he blocked the only exit. "Yes?"

"I'm not… I don't want…" She swallowed, casting a quick glance at the bed. "Please, don't force me." It came out as a whisper.

He could. She'd known this from day one, only the thought hadn't really, truly sunk in because… well, because she had wanted him so desperately. But now, like this… with chains… after being abducted... No, she didn't want it this time.

The dark-haired male took a deep, redundant breath, and his darkened eyes regained a little more of the blue irises. Slowly, he set in motion, stalking her with lithe steps, causing her to reluctantly back up until she felt the edge of the bed against the back of her knees. Her breath hitched.

"Please, Godric…"

"Look into my eyes, Vera." His voice was soft. Authoritative – he expected to be obeyed – but soft.

She shuddered; the thought of being Glamoured into servitude was nauseating.

"Vera."

Her stormy eyes darted up to meet his, body tensing. "Don't." The final plea, her final attempt.

"Don't what?"

She didn't answer; she didn't have to.

"Force myself upon you like some savage?" An eyebrow quirked. "Alter your mind to do my bidding? If those had been my desires, young one, I would have done so from the beginning instead of going through this charade you insist on inflicting on us. I could, easily, but apparently I shall need to repeat myself time and time again on this matter; I will. Not. Harm. You."

Her brows furrowed as she made a vague gesture towards the bed. "Then… then why the chains?"

A humourless snort escaped him. "I do not need chains to subdue a human. The restraints you will allow me to place on you as you take your punishment."

Vera blinked rapidly; normally, she enjoyed the quick pace of his mind, but this time she found it hard to follow. "My punishment? For what?"

His blue eyes narrowed. "For expelling me from your home, for tricking me."

Anger flared in the pit of her stomach once again, though infinitely more cowed by the lingering fear and uncertainty this time. "For crying out loud! You were being horribly rude and overstepping my boundaries wildly; I only did what I had to!"

"We will discuss the matter after you submit to me." His calm voice was measured, controlled. "You will lie on the bed, you will accept your penance, and then we will work out whatever issues remain between us calmly and sensibly."

She crossed her arms over her torso, trying to remain calm and in control of the situation, but the weight of his stare, his commanding presence, the damn bindings on the bed… she was crumbling before him. "And if I don't submit?" It did not come out as assertively as she'd hoped.

"Then I suppose the subject is resolved in its own way. You will not leave this house before you have stripped naked for me and let me tie you to this bed. Not for work, not for anything."

And that was it. Vera was strong-willed, even stubborn, but she was not a match for him, not this time. Shoulders slumping, she gave in to him.

The moment she caved his persona changed; he was still every inch in control, but she no longer felt like she was standing in front of a looming rock of granite. Gentle hands helped free her torso of the T-shirt and bra, carefully avoiding touching her exposed nipples while softly brushing over the skin along her stomach before limber fingers worked her jeans' button and zipper, peeling off her sensible cotton panties in the process until she finally stood bared for him.

Hesitantly, she lifted her gaze to meet his.

"You did to me what I cannot accept, Vera – you denied me and refuted my claim. I have been patient with you far beyond what any other of my kind would have been, and you repaid my consideration with disrespect. For this I will, for this night, demand of you what you cannot accept I take – your pride and independence. Do you understand?"

She nodded mutely – there was no point in arguing any further about the absurdity in kidnapping and blackmailing your lover after a fall-out at this stage – and she succumbed to his will, ignoring the stray tear that trickled down her cheek at the raw terror wrenching in her gut as she released any and all control to him.

"My little human," he whispered, capturing the tear with a fingertip. "When we are done, perhaps you will more easily trust that I can care for all of you, not just your luscious body." Strong hands guided her back onto the bed, capturing first her wrists – one after the other – in the leather cuffs, and then her ankles until she lay spread open for him, trembling though the temperature in the room was comfortable.

Godric let a soothing hand trail up her leg while he crawled in between her spread thighs.

"Relax."

A soft kiss her landed on her mound as he bent over her naked flesh before he lazily travelled down, tongue leaving wet marks along her lips until it nestled in between her folds, slipping up in an easy stroke and, finally, circling the clit.

Vera gasped and tensed, tugging on her chains, but her body responded to the vampire's insistent administrations. When his lips finally closed firmly around it, her sigh of relief was involuntary.

xXx

A/N: Bad news, ladies! This'll be the last update on any of my fics until – estimated – late December. If anything changes I'll update my profile so check on there if you're getting restless.

Thanks so much for all your support and patience – I hope there's a little more left of it, and worry not; I'll be back! *insert ominous theme tune*